Post #21, Bob McKnight's Subscription Commentary
Most recent polling show Governor Scott over Senator Nelson in the U.S. Senate race in the range of 5 points. I served with the Senator in the Florida House of Representatives--he is a very low key, unemotional lawmaker. He is not Mr. Excitement that can easily move the needle in a tight campaign.
But then Tuesday happened. Yes, the upset victory of Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillium was a different race. But the race for Governor is right next to race for our U.S. Senate seat on our ballots. History has shown that one race can sometimes carry a party over to another race. In politics, it is called "coat tails."
Here is why, unless some other major issues surface, I am predicting Upset Alert in the U.S. Senate race, with Nelson beating Scott:
1. Although the Republicans, Scott and Trump will pour zillions into the race, the Dem's will make it their number one race in all the country, also with zillions.
2. Gillium will have his base of African Americans, young people (Stoneman Douglas gun foes), and Bernie liberals on fire. Those are all votes that will lock into the Nelson race that might otherwise not.
3. The Putnam voters are really incensed with Trump and are not crazy about Scott's coziness with Trump, so a substantial number will cross over and vote for Nelson out of spite.
4. The GOP primary showed that Martin and St. Lucie County are really angry about SCOTT SLIME. They and the counties on both coasts will turn out in big number to punish Scott, as they feel he is primarily responsible for polluting their inter-coastal waterway.
There it is. You heard it here first.